Some embodiments relate to a method of reducing excess mucosa production and/or secretion in the respiratory tract, comprising: introducing into the lumen of the trachea or the lumen of the bronchi a device configured for damaging nerve tissue or blocking neural conduction in the surroundings of the lumen; and activating the device to damage the nerve tissue enough to suppress parasympathetic nerve activity which causes the excess mucosa production and/or secretion.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to modifying (e.g. reducing) parasympathetic nerve activity in patients suffering from a respiratory syndrome, and more particularly but not exclusively, to the treatment of respiratory syndromes associated with bronchoconstriction and/or increased mucus production.
A publication titled "Safety and Adverse Events after Targeted Lung Denervation for Symptomatic Moderate to Severe COPD (AIRFLOW): A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial" by Slebos et al. published in AJRCCM Articles on 12 Aug. 2019 as 10.1164/rccm.201903-06240C discloses: "Targeted Lung Denervation (TLD) is a bronchoscopic radiofrequency ablation therapy for COPD, which durably disrupts parasympathetic pulmonary nerves to decrease airway resistance and mucous hyper-secretion." (Abstract);
A publication titled Safety and Dose Study of Targeted Lung Denervation in Moderate/Severe COPD Patients" by Valipour et al. published in Interventional Pulmonology on Jun. 20, 2019 discloses: "Rationale: Targeted lung denervation (TLD) is a novel bronchoscopic treatment for the disruption of parasympathetic innervation of the lungs. Objectives: To assess safety, feasibility, and dosing of TLD in patients with moderate to severe COPD using a novel device design. Methods: Thirty patients with COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 s 30-60%) were 1:1 randomized in a double-blinded fashion to receive TLD with either 29 or 32 W. Primary endpoint was the rate of TLD associated adverse airway effects that required treatment through 3 months. Assessments of lung function, quality of life, dyspnea, and exercise capacity were performed at baseline and 1-year follow-up. An additional 16 patients were enrolled in an open-label confirmation phase study to confirm safety improvements after procedural enhancements following gastrointestinal adverse events during the randomized part of the trial. Results: Procedural success, defined as device success without an in-hospital serious adverse event, was 96.7% (29/30). The rate of TLD-associated adverse airway effects requiring intervention was 3/15 in the 32 W versus 1/15 in the 29 W group, p=0.6. Five patients early in the randomized phase experienced serious gastric events. The study was stopped and procedural changes made that reduced both gastrointestinal and airway events in the subsequent phase of the randomized trial and follow-up confirmation study. Improvements in lung function and quality of life were observed compared to baseline values for both doses but were not statistically different. Conclusions: The results demonstrate acceptable safety and feasibility of TLD in patients with COPD, with improvements in adverse event rates after procedural enhancements." (Abstract)

Devices and methods for reducing parasympathetic nerve activity in patients with a respiratory syndrome


The invention is relates to a simple, inexpensive high capacity output catch tray for copiers and other document production machines. The output tray automatically increases in capacity as the stack of copies in it accumulates, without external power source or control, while maintaining a relatively constant elevation relative to the copier output port, and automatically returns to its original position when partially or completely unloaded.

This invention relates to a document reproduction apparatus and in particular to a simple and inexpensive high-capacity output catch tray for document production devices such as copiers, printers and fax machines.
A. High Capacity Output Stacking Trays
In the prior art of output trays there has generally been an association of large, complex and expensive high volume copiers with similarly large, complex and expensive high capacity output collecting devices such as elevator trays, collators, sorters, vertically repositionable sheet output ports, and xe2x80x9cmailboxxe2x80x9d systems. In part this is because high volume copiers often must be capable of being coupled to subsequent machines in a production line, requiring that the top of the output stack be maintained at a relatively precise elevation for pickup by the next machine in the production line. However, where subsequent processing is not necessary there has previously been no simple, inexpensive, high capacity output stacking tray system available as a final station for such high volume copiers which did not suffer from various drawbacks addressed by the present invention.
Similarly, there has been an association of smaller, slower, and less expensive copiers with small, fixed, limited capacity output trays. High capacity output trays or systems with elevators or multiple trays generally either been unavailable for such smaller machines, or are too expensive to be suitable for the typical uses of such machines.
In all types of document production machines such as copiers, printers and fax machines, but particularly copiers for high speed, high volume production runs, the production of sheets by the copier can often exceed the capacity of presently available output catch tray systems. High capacity output trays, often referred to in the art as xe2x80x9cstackers,xe2x80x9d are particularly desirable for the collected output of high speed or plural job batching copiers or printers. High capacity stackers are also desirable for the accumulated output of unattended plural user (networked) copiers and printers, of any speed.
Further by way of background on sheet stacking difficulties in general, outputted sheets are usually ejected into an output tray from above one side thereof. Normal output stacking is by ejecting sheets or sets of sheets from above one side of the top sheet of the stack of sheets onto which that additional ejected sheet or set of sheets must also stack. Typically, sheets or sets are ejected generally horizontally (or slightly uphill initially) and continue to move horizontally primarily by inertia. That is, sheets or sets in the process of being stacked are not typically effectively controlled or guided once they are released into the output tray. The sheets or sets fall by gravity into the tray to settle onto the top of the stack. However, such settling is resisted by the relatively high air resistance of the sheet or set to movement in that direction. Yet, for high volume copiers stacking must be done at high speed, so a long settling time is undesirable. Thus, a long drop onto the stack is undesirable.
Stacking is made even more difficult where there are variations in thickness, material, weight and condition (such as curls) of the sheets. Different sizes or types of sheets, such as tabbed or cover sheets or Z-folded or other inserts, may even be intermixed in the stack. The ejection trajectory and stacking should thus accommodate the varying aerodynamic characteristics of such various rapidly moving sheets or sets. A fast moving sheet or set can act as a variable airfoil to aerodynamically affect the rise or fall of the lead edge of the sheet as it is ejected. This airfoil effect can be strongly affected by curls induced in the sheet, by fusing, color printing, etc. Therefore, an upward trajectory output angle and substantial release height is often provided, well above the top of the stack. Otherwise, the lead edge of the entering document can catch or snub on the top of the stack already in the output tray, and curl over, causing a serious jam condition. However, setting too high a document ejection level to accommodate all these possible stacking problems greatly increases the settling time for all sheets or sets and creates other potential problems, such as scattering.
Scatter within a stack causes at least four problems. First, if copier has a sets offsetting feature, intended to provide job set separations or distinctions, scatter within a stack makes such set distinction more difficult. Second, misaligned sheets or sets tend to incur damage such as bending, folding, abrasion or tearing of sheet edges out of alignment with the overall stack edge. Third, a substantial stack within which individual sheets are not well aligned to each other is more difficult for an operator to grasp and remove from the stacker. Fourth, a misaligned stack is not easily loaded into a box or other transporting container of corresponding dimensions.
For the above listed reasons, it may be seen that the top of stack elevation should be maintained within a desired range. A tray elevator or vertically repositionable sheet output port is therefore normally provided to maintain a relatively constant relationship of sheet output elevation to top of stack elevation for high capacity output trays.
Numerous means for dealing with various such general problems of sheet stacking are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,385,758, 4,469,319, 5,005,821, 5,014976, 5,014,977, 5,033,731, and art therein. Sheet xe2x80x9cknock downxe2x80x9d or settling assistance systems are known, but add cost and complexity and can undesirably prematurely deflect down the lead edge of the ejected sheet. Also, such xe2x80x9cknock downxe2x80x9d systems can interfere with sheet stack removal or loading and can be damaged thereby. Also, stacking systems should desirably provide relatively xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d trays, which will not interfere with open operator access to the output stacking tray or bin, for ease of removal of the sheet stack therein.
Many attempts have been made in the prior art to provide high capacity sheet stacking output trays. Among these are: U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,333 (describing a sheet stack height control system); U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,401 (describing a stacking tray system with nonvertically receding elevator yielding square stacks); U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,203 (describing a high capacity sheet stacking system with variable height input and stacking registration); U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,046 (describing a method for operating a reproduction machine with unlimited catch tray for multimode operation); U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,546 (describing a mini-collator/sorter); U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,032 (describing a sheet handling system with a receiving tray for use in non-collate mode and a plurality of collator bins for operating in collator mode); U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,543 (describing a control system using a copy count, a tangent copy count, and a document tracing indicator to provide automatic control for copy overflows); U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,581 (describing a system having multiple collator bins treated as one virtual bin).
In these systems there are generally two approaches to increasing output catch tray capacity. The first approach uses multiple receipt trays, bins or mailboxes (for simplicity, collectively referred to as xe2x80x9ctrays). The trays may be vertically or horizontally repositionable relative to a fixed output port, or the copier output port may be vertically or horizontally repositionable relative to a fixed tray or trays, or some combination of movable trays and moveable output port may be employed. However, although though multiple trays are in use, the individual trays generally have limited capacities requiring either additional control for tray switching, system shutdown or additional operator intervention.
In the second approach a single large output catch tray is used, but relatively powerful, complicated and expensive elevator mechanisms are required either to lower the catch tray or raise the copier output port as the stack grows in order to keep the top of the stack within an acceptable range below the sheet output port. As far as is presently known, prior art does not include the combination of a single large output catch tray with a vertically repositionable output port.
Other systems such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,643 teach a sorter system having two sorter sections. In particular, the control switches from one section to the next to continue a copying job. Also, if the bins in both sections of the sorter contain copy sheets, and the job requirement has not been completed, upon removal of the copy sheets in one of the sections, the reproduction machine will resume operation after having been temporarily halted.
The addition of multiple bins and trays, catch trays with elevator mechanism, or vertically repositionable copier output port increases the complexity of the components for copiers and their controls, with a corresponding decrease in expected reliability and increase in cost. It would therefore be desirable to provide a high capacity output catch tray for document production machines such as photocopiers, printers and fax machines having a minimum number of receiving trays and/or complex mechanisms and yet be able to handle high volume requirements with minimum operator intervention. Due to the lack of such a device, it is not unknown in the prior art to use stacks of cardboard boxes as cheap, high capacity output xe2x80x9ctrays.xe2x80x9d
B. Inclined Output Trays
For better stacking alignment to obtain neat, square and even-sided stacks, as is known in the art, it is preferable to output sheets or sets sequentially onto an inclined surface. Initially this is the inclined surface of the empty output tray, and then it is the correspondingly inclined upper surface of the sheet or set previously stacked thereon. If the output tray surface is upwardly inclined away from the copier output port into the tray, this is known in the art as xe2x80x9cuphillxe2x80x9d stacking. It is called xe2x80x9cdownhillxe2x80x9d stacking if the output tray slopes downwardly away from the copier output port. There are many advantages to using either xe2x80x9cuphillxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdownhillxe2x80x9d stacking, either for stacking per se, or for stacking in a compiler for stapling or other binding or finishing. It allows different sizes of sheets to be stacked using the same paper path and the same tray system, using gravity assisted stacking against a simple inboard or outboard alignment surface, and is therefore relatively less expensive than more complicated active stacking registration or alignment systems, such as those requiring scullers, flappers, tampers, joggers, etc.
xe2x80x9cUphillxe2x80x9d stacking desirably lends itself to stacking alignment at an inboard side of the output tray, that is, at the side adjacent the copier. It automatically slows down the ejected sheets, due to their initial xe2x80x9cuphillxe2x80x9d movement. The sheets then reverse their movement to slide back down against an upstanding wall or edge adjacent to but underlying the output port. Incoming sheets thus do not get caught on the edge of the stack in the tray, so long as subsequent sheets or sets enter above the top of the stack, which of course grows in length/height as the copy job progresses.
Prior art does not provide for a high capacity single output tray which can quickly and easily be configured to provide uphill, horizontal or downhill output stacking without the use of a tray elevator or vertically repositionable sheet output port.
C. Stack Edge Alignment
It is known in the art to provide a stacking system with an output tray elevator. The top of a stack in the output tray is maintained at a suitable height for such stacking, by the output tray and all its contents being moved downward as the stack accumulates, so that the top of the stack remains in the same general relative position below the copier output port.
In prior art, the stacking alignment surface is normally a fixed vertical surface which does not move relative to the copier and its output port, and not an integral upstanding side of the tray itself, as in a sorter bin or other conventional stacking tray. That is, the alignment surface against which the ejected sheets or sets are aligned is typically the vertical surface of the side of the machine or the stacking tray elevator itself, against which the sheets or sets may align as they stack.
In part, such a fixed alignment surface addresses the problem that if, instead, a conventional alignment side wall integral (and substantially perpendicular to) the stacking tray were provided (moving therewith), that alignment wall require a height equal to the full elevator travel range of the output tray. Otherwise, sheets or sets stacked higher than that alignment wall would slide off the stack. In the empty, fully raised position of such an output tray, such a fixed height alignment side wall would unacceptably extend well above the top of the machine, and/or block the sheet entrance to the tray if located on that side of the tray for xe2x80x9cuphillxe2x80x9d stacking.
Also, with such an output tray designed for high capacity stacking, the first incoming sheets would be required to drop a substantial distance before coming to rest on the top of the stack or tray. This large drop distance tends to increase the number of stacking problems noted above, such as sheets or sets coming to rest in an orientation other than flat against the top of the stack, and/or substantial scatter within the stack.
However, previous systems with fixed alignment surfaces suffer from various drawbacks. Since the edges of the sheets in the stack move relative to the alignment surface, friction of the sheet edges against the alignment surface lifts the sheet edges relative to the downward motion of the output tray, abrading the sheet edges and disturbing the stack so that is less flat, neat and square. This phenomenon is known in the art as xe2x80x9ccreep.xe2x80x9d With the extended use experienced by high volume copiers, over time, the friction also causes wear on the alignment surface so that it may become less smooth, exacerbating the problems of lift and creep. Fixed alignment surfaces must also be relatively long to provide high capacity and are therefore relatively bulky.
One previous attempt to deal with the problem of fixed alignment surfaces can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,203, in which a variable height stack registration and edge alignment system is provided by way of numerous small belt-like flexible sheets which unroll upward corresponding to upward movement of a vertically repositionable sheet output port. However, as with previous tray elevator systems, this system is subject to the drawbacks of complexity, expense, and limited inter-connectivity; even more so in that it is associated with multiple output tray and/or mailbox systems.
It is therefore desirable to provide a simple, relatively smooth, variable length stack alignment and edge alignment system which corresponds directly and automatically to the output tray height and requires no external power source or control system.
To recapitulate, the limitations of the prior art of high capacity output trays are substantial. A simple fixed high capacity output tray without a vertically repositionable sheet output port is impractical because it requires either a high fixed side wall or that the output tray be very deep, so that ejected sheets or sets would have too far to drop and be subject to the abovementioned problems of scatter, disorientation, buckling, folding, etc. Vertically repositionable copier output ports, output tray elevators, multiple trays/bins/mailboxes are all relatively complex and high maintenance, require external power sources and controls, and are correspondingly expensive both initially and over time.
The present invention provides a simple, high capacity, adjustable, sheet stacking output tray suitable for connection to both large, high volume copiers and to smaller, less expensive ones, which is capable of automatically maintaining the top of stack height within an acceptable range relative to the sheet output port, without external power source or control, where precise stack height control is not required. The various adjustments in output tray angle, stack angle, effective spring rate, total weight capacity, and total stack height permitted by the invention allow a user to customize and optimize the invention for numerous applications. The invention thus uniquely provides for maximum upgrade-ability, downgrade-ability and compatibility between various sizes, types and brands of document production devices.
Briefly, the present invention is concerned with a simple, inexpensive high capacity output catch tray. The disclosed output tray automatically increases in capacity as the stack of copies in it accumulates, without external power source or control, while maintaining a relatively constant elevation relative to the copier output port, and automatically returns to its original position when partially or completely unloaded.
The invention achieves these advantages by the use of trampoline-type arrangement that suspends a stack support platform by springs around its perimeter from a frame removably attached to the copier. As copies accumulate on the platform the weight of the copies causes the springs stretch and increases the capacity of the output tray. The springs act as energy-storing biasing elements which return the platform to its unloaded position when the stack of copies is removed from the tray, and may also act as variable length alignment surfaces to keep the accumulating stack neat and square. Preferably the springs have a relatively smooth outer surface such as is provided by telescoping cylindrical sleeves around metallic coil springs, elastic cords or bands, or bungee cords, to keep the sides of the stack straight and prevent the sheets from binding or rubbing as the stack increases in length, thereby minimizing lift or creep of the sheets relative to the platform and alignment surface, but other commonly known biasing devices such as weights and pulleys, could be used alone or in combination with springs.
The invention provides improved output stacking of multiple printed sheets, such as multiple sets or jobs of flimsy copy sheets sequentially outputted by a copier, with overall stack alignment for subsequent handling, particularly for large stacks, at relatively low cost, and without sacrificing desired stacking and alignment orientations. Further so disclosed is a stacking system with a variable length alignment surface coupled to a vertically movable stack support platform.
The invention has particular utility and application for high capacity stacking of pre-collated copy output sheet sets from a copier, which may include a compiler and finisher, where such output may require stacking relatively large numbers of completed copies in a relatively high stack. Such stacked copies may be individual sheets or sets which may be unfinished, or may be stapled, glued, bound, or otherwise finished and/or offset.
The invention further provides a high capacity output tray for stacking substantial quantities of the output from a copier on a stack support platform optionally providing an inclined stacking surface at a substantial angle from the horizontal for receiving and aligning sheets against, an upright stack edge alignment surface. Here, with little or no relative movement between the alignment surface and the stack edge, this stack edge alignment surface is automatically varied in length below the copier output port and above the stack support platform in coordination with the change in stack length/height supported by the platform.
The invention overcomes the above and other problems and limitations of prior art, without requiring an externally powered tray elevator or variable height output port, yet without sacrificing the desired output and stacking positions for the ejected sheets or sets.
The copier may operate in a single mode producing simple stacks, or may operate in multiple modes with stacks, unstapled sets and/or stapled sets, the sets and stacks being offset in the catch tray. With the addition of a simple detector, the copier can be made to temporarily halt when the top of the stack reaches a specified height relative to the sheet output port to avoid spilling or jamming, then resume operation and continue to do so as the output tray is emptied until the job in process is either completed or canceled.
As to specific hardware components which may be used with the subject apparatus, or alternatives, it will be appreciated that, as is normally the case, various suitable such specific hardware components are known per se in other apparatus or applications, including the cited references and commercial applications thereof.

Simple and inexpensive high-capacity output catch tray for document production machines


The present invention relates to the discovery that a secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2-IIA) plays an active role in mediating cellular signaling leading to an inflammatory response or cell proliferation by way of its specific binding with integrin β at site 2 of integrin β. More specifically, the invention provides a method for identifying inhibitors of inflammatory or proliferative signaling by screening for compounds that interrupt the specific binding of sPLA2 and integrin β at site 2. The invention also provides the novel use of a substance that suppresses the specific binding between sPLA2 and site 2 of integrinβ for the purpose of treating or preventing a condition involving an undesired inflammatory response or cell proliferation.

Integrins are activated by signaling from inside the cell (inside-out signaling) through global conformational changes of integrins. The present inventors recently discovered that fractalkine activates integrins in the absence of CX3CR1 through the direct binding of fractalkine to a ligand-binding site in the integrin headpiece (site 2) that is distinct from the classical RGD-binding site (site 1). The inventors propose that fractalkine binding to the newly identified site 2 induces activation of site 1 though conformational changes (in an allosteric mechanism). It is reasoned that site 2-mediated activation of integrins is not limited to fractalkine. Human secreted phospholipase A2 type IIA (sPLA2-IIA), a pro-inflammatory protein, binds to integrins αvβ3 and α4β1 (site 1) and this interaction initiates a signaling pathway that leads to cell proliferation and inflammation. Human sPLA2-IIA does not bind to M-type receptor very well. Here the inventors describe that sPLA2-IIA directly activated purified soluble integrin αvβ3 and transmembrane αvβ3 on the cell surface. This activation did not require catalytic activity or M-type receptor. Docking simulation predicted that sPLA2-IIA binds to site 2 in the closed-headpiece of αvβ3. A peptide from site 2 of integrin β1 specifically bound to sPLA2-IIA and suppressed sPLA2-IIA-induced integrin activation. This suggests that sPLA2-IIA activates αvβ3 through binding to site 2. sPLA2-IIA also activated integrins α4β1 and α5β1 in a site 2-mediated manner. The present inventors recently identified small compounds that bind to sPLA2-IIA and suppress integrin-sPLA2-IIA interaction (e.g., Compound 21 or Cmpd21). Cmpd21 effectively suppressed sPLA2-IIA-induced integrin activation. These results define a novel mechanism of pro-inflammatory action of sPLA2-IIA through integrin activation.

Suppression of SPLA2-integrin binding for treating an inflammatory condition or suppressing cell proliferation

The Regents of the University of California


A method of forming a structural airframe component for an aircraft and an airframe structural component are provided. The method includes placing at least two components (1, 2) in abutting relationship with each other and joining them together by friction stir butt welding (3), and the structural airframe component comprises a component manufactured according to the method of the invention.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to friction welding of metal, in particular aluminium alloy components, and in particular those used in situations where high strength is required such as in structures for aircraft, helicopters, hovercraft, spacecraft, boats and ships.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Structures and processes of the invention find particular application in aircraft structure, including primary structure, where strength to weight ratio is paramount.
Airframe structural components are inherently complex in their design and subsequent manufacture owing to the large variety of stresses which will be applied to the structure in different phases of aircraft operation, eg static, level flight, climb, descent, take-off and landing or gust conditions. In order to simplify and reduce the number of airframe components it is a well known principle to integrally machine from solid billets such components. In this way the parts counts and therefore the weight, cost and complexity of the finished assembly can be reduced. However limitations upon designs which are achievable currently exist owing to restrictions on manufacturing capabilities, for example in terms of overall billet size combined with the unavailability of welded joints for many primary aircraft structures owing to the well-known fatigue-inducing and crack propagation qualities of welded joints.
An example of current design limitations in aircraft wing manufacture occurs in the available size of upper or lower wing skin panels for construction of a wing box. At present, for large passenger-carrying aircraft such as the Airbus A340 family, certain areas of the wing box require a spliced joint between up to four separate machined panels where a single panel would be desirable. The overall weight and cost of wing skins formed by the panels is increased. Also a single panel to replace the multi-panel assembly would be structurally more efficient. The present limitation on panel size is caused by a limitation on size of the aluminium alloy billet from which the panel is rolled.
A further example of the limitations imposed by present technology occurs in the manufacture of solid aluminium alloy billets from which inner wing spars are formed for large commercial aircraft. Any increase in size of such aircraft, as is presently projected for a future large passenger-carrying aircraft would result in a requirement for a billet larger than it is currently possible to produce. This restriction raises the need for complex bolted joints between components. Such joints will considerably increase the weight and complexity of the structure and will be structurally non-optimum.
Design difficulties can also occur at the intersections between upper and lower wing skins and upper and lower spar flanges respectively in an aircraft wing box. Upper and lower wing skins will be made of different alloys to enable the different structural requirements to be fulfilled. Where these different alloys are joined to the wing spar fatigue cracking can occur owing to the differing material properties of the skin and spar respectively.
Yet further difficulties can occur in achieving an optimum cross sectional shape at acceptable cost for extruded aircraft wing skin stiffeners, for example stringers. Here the additional material required at the ends of the stringers, often called for example xe2x80x9cspade endsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9crib growoutsxe2x80x9d can dictate the sectional shape for the whole length of the stringer and can necessitate machining off unwanted material for almost the entire length of the stringer, leading to excessively high machining and material scrap costs.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a structural airframe component for an aircraft including placing at least two components in abutting relationship with each other and joining them together by friction stir butt welding.
The structural airframe component may comprise an aircraft wing rib and the at least two components may comprise a central web element and a rib foot element and the method may include the steps of joining together the central web element and the rib foot element by partial penetration friction stir butt welding and subsequently machining away material from at least one of the central web element and the rib foot element in the region of the abutment until the weld becomes a full penetration weld.
The method may also include the steps of providing a said rib foot element of L-shape cross section and carrying out the machining away of material at least from the rib foot element to form a rib foot of T-shape cross section.
xe2x80x9cButt weldingxe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to include the process of welding together at least two components having edges or surfaces in abutment with each other, whether the components are generally co-planar in the region of abutment or not.
The technique of friction stir butt welding is known from European Patent No. 615480B assigned to The Welding Institute the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The technique involves placing the two said components in abutting relationship with each other, inserting a probe of material harder than the component material into a joint region between the two components and causing relative cyclic movement between the probe and components whereby frictional heat is generated to cause portions of the components in the region of the joint to take up a plasticised condition, removing the probe and allowing the plasticised portions to solidify and join the components together.
The application of this technique to aircraft airframe structure, including primary load bearing structure would not have been foreseen owing to the aforesaid known properties of welds, namely liability to fatigue. Surprisingly however work carried out has revealed that such friction stir butt welds do indeed possess the qualities to make such structures as aforesaid possible.
In order to exclude the possibility of cracks developing in the region of the weld joint, a weld fatigue resistant feature may be applied to a run-out of the weld. Such a feature may comprise a cold worked hole formed through the weld joint in the region of the run-out followed by insertion of a fastener, for example a bolt. Alternatively, or in addition the joined component in the region of the weld run-out may be shot peened or may have a splice strap fastened in position transverse to the direction of the weld joint. Further in the alternative or additionally the material of the welded component in the region of the weld run-out may be thickened. By the various above means one of the primary areas of fatigue of the welded joint may be prevented from behaving in such an adverse manner.
The friction stir butt welding method may be applied to components having a differing, for example tapering, thickness of material to be welded together by inserting the said probe into the joint between the two components to a depth dependent upon the material thickness at the position of probe entry. In this way a weld having a penetration through the material of the component of sufficient depth to provide a prescribed weld penetration along a length of the weld may be achieved.
The method may include providing a two-piece probe having a central portion for penetrating the weld region and a peripheral portion, movable relative thereto for travelling over the weld region along surfaces of the components being joined, the central portion being movable into and out of the peripheral portion during welding. The central portion and peripheral portion may be relatively movable by a threaded connection therebetween or by any other suitable mechanism like a geared connection or a cam means. The central portion and peripheral portion may include sealing means acting therebetween to prevent ingress of softened component material.
During movement along the weld of a said component of varying thickness such as a tapered component the rate of feed of the probe along the joint and rotational speed of the probe may be varied to optimise welding conditions.
The structural airframe component for an aircraft may comprise a skin stiffener and the method may include the step of placing an extrusion in abutting relationship with an extension or width-increasing region for the extrusion and joining the extrusion to the extension region by friction stir butt welding. In this way extension regions such as rib growouts and stringer spade ends and other root end profiles of width larger than the extruded width may be formed on the stiffener without resorting to the formation of an extrusion of the maximum width required and then machining long lengths of it away to leave just short lengths of the extension regions of the extruded width.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a structural airframe component for an aircraft including a friction stir butt welded joint.
The component in the region of the butt welded joint may be double curvature in form. Also, the weld may be of tapering thickness along its length.
The component may comprise at least two skin panels butt welded together. Wing or fuselage skin or skin/stiffener panels of any required size can thus be produced according to the invention. Said skin panels may have a skin stiffener attached thereto along a length of the weld. Such a skin stiffener may comprise a skin stringer in which skin engaging flanges thereof are attached to the skin on either side of the weld.
The component may include a stiffened aircraft wing skin assembly comprising at least two extruded sections each having integrally formed skin-forming and stiffener-forming portions said sections being welded together. Each weld may include a butt strap fastened thereacross and may include a run-out feature as described above.
The component may comprise an aircraft skin and stiffener assembly including a joint between two stiffeners at which the skin is friction stir butt welded together.
The component may comprise an aircraft skin panel having a shaped plug friction stir butt welded into place therein. In this way local additions to or thickening of the skin during skin formation may be avoided.
The component may include a friction stir butt welded joint between two sub-components of differing cross section.
The component may comprise a hybrid billet of aluminium alloy comprising for example 7000 series alloy friction stir butt welded to 2000 series alloy to enable the known properties of these two alloys better to be employed. In general, friction stir butt welding of hybrid billets enables tailoring of thicknesses, material strengths and fatigue resistances as required. The billets may be for example forgings or extrusions according to the circumstances.
Where a friction stir butt welded joint replaces a joint using fasteners, as for example in the manufacture of large aircraft wing spars, there will be a reduction in the number of fasteners used overall, with a consequent reduction in cost and weight. Also the welded joint itself will be structurally more efficient in that it will be stronger than a fastened joint and, we have discovered, have better fatigue characteristics. In addition assembly time for a welded joint can be reduced, owing to elimination of fasteners and joint sealant. Also fuel leakage paths, in a wing, are eliminated.
The component may comprise an aircraft wing rib or spar machined from a said hybrid billet. The hybrid billet may comprise two or more said friction stir butt welded joints positioned on the billet to optimise strength properties for the billet in the particular circumstances required. For example a said spar may include a weld along a neutral axis thereof or may include such welds at or in the region of junctions between a central web and upper and lower booms thereof.
The component may comprise an I-section or J-section stiffener of web height tapering along the length of the stiffener having a friction stir butt welded joint extending along the length of the tapered web.
The component may comprise an aircraft skin panel having at least one first part stiffener formed integral therewith with a further part of the stiffener friction stir butt welded to the first part of the stiffener.
The component may comprise an extruded aircraft skin stiffener including at least one extension region thereof extending the width of the stiffener beyond an extruded width, said at least one extension region being attached to the remainder of the stiffener by a friction stir butt welded joint. The at least one said extension region may comprise at least part of a rib growout or a spade end or other root end profile region of a skin stringer.
the component may comprise an I-section or a J-section skin stiffener having upper and lower booms or flanges separated by a central web and the at least one extension region may be friction stir butt welded to at least one of the upper and lower booms on one or both sides of the web.


The use of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) present in CSF as biomarkers for particular brain malignancies and disease activity.

The most frequently occurring brain malignancies in adults are metastatic brain cancers (e.g., from primary melanoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer (e.g., pancreatic or colorectal), kidney cancer, bladder cancer, certain sarcomas, or testicular or germ cell tumors) followed by glioblastoma (GBM). GBM is the most aggressive primary brain cancer, which generally has a poor prognosis with median survival of about 14 months, despite aggressive treatment (Filippini et al. Neuro Oncol. 2008; 10(1):79-87). Currently diagnosis of brain tumors is made with brain biopsy if possible and the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the presence of cancer cells (cytology). CSF can be accessed readily for longitudinal disease monitoring during and after therapy. However, the currently used method of CSF analysis has moderate sensitivity, is non-quantitative and technically challenging. There is presently no routine way to subtype the malignancy and monitor molecular changes from CSF indicating the need for more accurate and reliable biomarkers and methods.

Diagnosing and monitoring CNS malignancies using MicroRNA


Traveling molds are used in conjunction with an extruder to form foamed products from starch and/or starch/polymer blends.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for making a biodegradable foamed product from starch using an extruder with traveling molds which close around the nozzle of the extruder to provide a continuous molding process using a plurality of individual molds.
2. Related Art
Foamed products, which are often referred to as structural foam, cellular polymer, cellular plastic, plastic foam, foamed plastic and expanded plastic, are products generally made from a plastic composition and have a cellular structure.
A major commercial use of foamed products is in the field of packaging. Styrofoam, a foamed polystyrene product, is a well-known foamed product used for packaging. Such packaging material is used to cushion and prevent damage to the contents of a package.
Conventionally, foamed products are made by fluidizing a plastic composition, forming a cellular structure by means of a blowing agent in the fluidized plastic composition, and then hardening the composition to retain the cellular structure created by the blowing agent.
Blowing agents, sometimes referred to as foaming agents, are substances that produce the cellular structure in the fluidized plastic composition. Conventional blowing agents include fluorocarbons, nitrogen gas, hydrazine derivatives, trihydrazide triazine, 5-phenyl tetrazole, p-toluene sulfonyl semicarbazide, modified azodicarbonamide, and azodicarbonamide. Chemical blowing agents are a class of blowing agents which are solids or liquids at room temperature and, upon heating, release a gas. Typically, they are employed by mixing the chemical blowing agent with the solid plastic material and heating the mixture while maintaining the mix under pressure. Heating fluidizes the plastic material and causes the blowing agents to release a gas. The gas forms bubbles or cells in the fluid plastic material. The mixture is maintained under pressure until it is placed into a mold where the gas expands and in turn causes the fluid plastic material to expand. Upon solidifying, the cell structure remains. Different blowing agents release gas at different temperatures and the choice of blowing agent depends on the processing conditions, plastic material and the size of the desired gas cells. When starch is used to make the foamed product, water is typically used as the blowing agent.
Chemical blowing agents have the advantage over gaseous blowing agents in that they can be added to the solid plastic material prior to heating. Gaseous blowing agents such as nitrogen and some fluorocarbons must be injected into the already fluidized plastic material.
Packaging materials made from synthetic polymers, such as polystyrene, have come under attack due to their non-biodegradable nature. With mounting pressure on manufacturers to produce a biodegradable product, more and more manufacturers are seeking alternative sources for conventional synthetic polymers. Natural polymers such as cellulose and starch have been the main contenders as replacements for the synthetic polymers.
It has been suggested to use starch and modified starch to make foamed products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,592 teaches extruding starch with a plasticizer, preferably water, such that the plasticizer flashes as the fluidized starch exits the die of the extruder. The flashing of the plasticizer causes puffing or expanding of the fluidized starch and the formation of a porous mass. The amount of plasticizer ranges from 22% to 67% based on the dry weight of starch. The temperature during extrusion ranges from 125xc2x0 C. to 250xc2x0 C. with a working temperature range of 150xc2x0 C. to 160xc2x0 C.
International Application Publication No. WO83/02955 teaches making a foamed starch product by extruding a composition of starch with a moisture content of 12-20% by weight starch with a gas forming or gas generating agent (blowing agent) at a temperature of 60-220xc2x0 C. Such an expanded starch product is taught as being useful as a packaging material to replace polystyrene foam or as a snack food if mixed with flavorings and the like. Potato starch is used in the example to produce the foamed product.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,863,655; 5,035,930; and 5,043,196 teach making a biodegradable foamed packaging material from a high amylose starch. These patents teach that the foamed packaging material is prepared by extruding high amylose starch having a moisture content of 10% to 21% by weight at a temperature of 150xc2x0 C. to 250xc2x0 C. According to these patents, both unmodified and modified starch can be used to make the packaging material. The types of modified starches taught by these patents are esterified, etherified, oxidated, crosslinked, enzyme converted and acid hydrolysized. The etherified high amylose starches, and specifically hydroxypropylated high amylose starch, are the main focus of these patents.
Starch graft copolymers have been suggested for use in making a foamed starch product, see for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,523,372 and 5,853,848. Starch graft copolymers are biodegradable. They are made from starch and a synthetic monomer such as vinyl or acrylic.
Additionally, because starch and starch based materials can be combined with other synthetic plastic materials, there has been a great interest in the use of these materials to make a biodegradable material.
The use of natural polymers such as starch and starch graft copolymers to make biodegradable foamed products, however, have not been widely utilized because of certain problems experienced during their extrusion.
One of the problems that inhibits starch foam technology is the manner by which starch materials react upon emergence from the die in the extrusion process. For the foaming action to take place, the temperature, shear and pressures must be achieved in the barrel of the extruder so as to cause the starch to liquefy. In this liquefied state, starch is capable of forming a film. Various polymers and additives are often combined with the starch. They are used to encourage thin yet stronger cell walls, thus enabling lower foam bulk densities with acceptable properties. The foaming action occurs as the material emerges from the die resulting in immediate expansion after emerging from the extruder die.
Two distinct problems arise when molding these foams. First, the conversion of these materials into foams must occur at a continuous rate because of the nature of the extrusion expansion process, however, molds are generally not available on a continuous basis. Typically, an individual mold is supplied to the die, fluidized material is injected into the mold via the die, the mold is moved away from the die, and another mold is then provided to the die. Thus, the die does not continuously eject the starch. The second problem is the fact that upon emergence from the extruder these foams immediately cool on the surface and tend to retain their shape. This inhibits the manufacture of parts that are larger than the initial expansion size reached as the material emerges from the die opening. It also inhibits the production of parts that are complicated designs.
Additionally, starch is not a thermoplastic material, thus, although it is compatible with synthetic polymers, it does not melt in the same manner or behave in the same way as the synthetic polymers do in the extruder.
In part, this problem has been overcome through the use of processing aids such as water, glycerin products, urea, and many other compounds known to soften the starch granule in the art of starch processing.
Water is especially useful in the production of foamed articles as it causes rapid gelatinization of starch. This also provides for extensive foaming action at the low moisture levels necessary for desired foam characteristics, even when using high percentages of starch. During the foaming process, the elevated temperatures, shear and pressures associated with extrusion creates an excellent environment for rapid cell development. Specific moisture percentages and nucleating agents are used to control cell size. Foaming agents may also be used, however, during most extrusion processes, many foaming agents that are compatible to biodegradable materials and starch do not activate quickly enough to have measurable effect on items such as loose fill.
Thus far, these difficulties in the extrusion process have limited the use of materials containing high load levels of starch to elementary foam products for basic foam applications such as loose fill. Some rigid sheet products are being produced in sizes and properties of limited scope. Until now, molded articles produced in economical continuous or large scale production techniques have been very difficult to achieve.
Extruders with traveling molds are know, see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,871. The ""871 patent teaches making plastic pipes from synthetic polymers. The teachings of the ""871 patent are incorporated herein by reference. Traveling molds are generally used for production of continuous parts such as pipes, where the finished product has a continuous shape.
There is a need for commercially feasible operation for making a biodegradable foamed product from starch and starch based compositions.
Applicant has discovered that, by using an extruder with a plurality of individual traveling molds which close around the extruder""s nozzle and are interconnected to allow for continuous extrusion of the starch material, a commercially feasible process for making foamed starch products is obtained. These individual traveling mold blocks prevent the formation of a skin and slow the loss of moisture, thereby aiding the adhesion of the foam into a continuous phase and providing for a uniform molded foam starch product with complicated shapes.
Water can be injected into the die, preferably as a mist or steam, to keep the foam wet enough to allow it to congeal into one uninterrupted phase in the mold. Foaming agents can also be used to delay the expansion of the foam in the mold and to assist the foam in completely filling the mold cavity. These foaming agents are known to modify the properties of the foam product such as resiliency, compression rate, and surface tension.
Traveling molds are conventional pieces of equipment which are operated in a conventional manner. The traveling molds comprise a plurality of individual, separate molds on a continuous track. Each mold is made up of a pair of mold halves which, when joined, form a cavity therein. The cavity has the shape of the foamed article. The pair of mold halves are joined about the nozzle of the extruder. The extruded starch material is injected into the mold such that the cavity is filled. A vacuum can be applied to the mold cavity to assist in the filling of the cavity. The closed mold continues to travel along the track while the starch material in the mold cools and cures to form the finished foamed starch product. Once cooling is completed, the mold pair opens and the formed individual foamed starch product is removed. Ejection devices can be employed to assist in the removal of the product from the mold cavity. The two mold halves then travel back to the extruder nozzle to be closed and start the process again.
A plurality of molds are employed such that individual molds are continuously supplied to the nozzle. Each mold, at a center point, has an opening which, when it is aligned with the mold in front of it and behind it, is aligned with an identical opening in the other mold. In this way each mold forms a separate mold cavity, yet each cavity is connected to the cavity in the other molds when they are in the closed state. The starch material is continuously extruded from the nozzle without any interruption and each formed product in each cavity is connected to the other foamed product in the immediate adjacent cavity via the starch which accumulates in the openings between adjacent molds. The tailing which is formed in the opening will generally break off of the cured foamed starch product when the mold is opened to release the foamed product. Alternatively, it is trimmed off of the product using a knife or other conventional cutting utensil. The speed of travel of the molds will be determined by and synchronized with the throughput of the extruder and the volume of the foam required by the size of the part. The speed of the ejection of the foamed product by the die can also vary in speed to coincide with the speed of travel of the molds.
Broadly, the process of the present invention entails forming a shaped foamed article from starch comprising:
(a) forming a composition comprising starch, water and a blowing agent;
(b) heating said composition under pressure in an extruder to gelatinize said starch wherein said extruder has a nozzle;
(c) providing a plurality of separate molds on a continuous path to said extruder, each said mold comprising a pair of mold halves with a void therein such that when said mold halves are joined to form said mold, said void has the shape of said shaped foamed article;
(d) joining each of said mold halves to form said mold about said nozzle of said extruder;
(e) extruding said composition through said nozzle into said void of said mold such that said composition foams and fills said void;
(f) cooling said foamed composition in said mold to form a shaped foamed article; and
(g) opening said mold into said pair of mold halves to recover said foamed shaped article and returning said pair of mold halves to said nozzle.
The starch used in the process can be an unmodified starch, a modified starch, or a mixture thereof. More preferably, the modified starch is an esterified starch, etherified starch, oxidized starch, crosslinked starch, or a combination thereof. The more preferred modified starch is a starch graft copolymer.
The composition can also include other components such as synthetic polymers, processing aids, fire retardants, emulsifiers or mixtures thereof.
Suitably, the starch can be a high amylose (greater than 30%) starch, an esterified high amylose starch, an etherified high amylose starch, an oxidized high amylose starch, a cross-linked high amylose starch, or a combination thereof.
Suitable synthetic polymers which can be used in the composition include polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). The synthetic polymer is combined with the starch to form the foamed product.

Method for forming a biodegradable foamed product from starch


There is described a smart weapon system including a weapon which serves as an enclosure to a transferable core computer. The computer provides the operator of the weapon the advantages of having an integrated computer/communications platform contained within the weapon and thus reducing the burden placed on the operator to carry multiple and distinct computer/communication devices.

The present invention is directed to the field of computers and computer enclosures in the form of weaponry. Specifically, the invention is the incorporation of a transferable core computer into a gun.
Modern technology, especially computers and electronics, has advanced rapidly in the recent past. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to apply these technological advances to the art of war, law enforcement, and gun safety. More particularly, it would be advantageous to apply the technological advances to weapons and other equipment designed to help the modern soldier or law enforcement officer function better in battlefield and tactical situations and increase their chances for survival.
The conventional method of providing a soldier with modern technology, such as a computer, communications equipment and a Global Positioning System (GPS) is to have him carry individual devices. This equipment in combination with a soldier""s weapon and armor can easily weigh over 70 pounds, which can create stress on the soldier and reduce his mobility. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,481, Gross et al discloses a modular soldier-centered fighting system comprising an enhanced vision, communications, weapons and control interface system. The core of the system is a modular compact computer which is wired to a ballistic helmet with a modular heads-up display which provides remote viewing via a thermal weapons site, weapon mounted video camera, helmet mounted night-vision image intensifier, laser detection system and a GPS receiver. The system includes individual radios for soldier-to-soldier communication to Command Center(s). The weapons subsystem, which is integrated with the computer/radio subsystem and helmet, includes a modular weapon, a thermal weapon sight, video camera and laser range finder/digital compass assembly. However, the computer, radios and other electrical components are mounted within a backpack worn by the soldier which creates an additional burden on the wearer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,112, Giry et al discloses a device for the localizing and restoring of a line of fire of a weapon carried by a shooter equipped with a helmet. The device is comprised of two cameras, a first camera mounted on the helmet and the second camera being mounted on the weapon. A computer that receives digitized information from each camera, and which aids in the direction of fire of the weapon, is carried by the shooter. Again, an additional burden is placed on the shooter by carrying the computer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,089, Ruszkowski, Jr. discloses a portable target locator system which comprises a rifle-like target locator and a transmitter/modem capable of transmitting target location coordinates to a weapons delivery system. The rifle-like target locator comprises a day and/or night magnifying optics/sighting system, GPS receiver and processor, azimuth and elevation sensor, a data entry keypad, laser rangefinder, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor calculates the coordinates of a selected target based upon the observer""s coordinates, as determined by the GPS system and the laser rangefinder, and the range, azimuth and elevation data of the target relative to the position of the target locator. The target data then may be transmitted to an appropriate weapons delivery system, such as a tactical aircraft, or stored in onboard non-volatile memory for later analysis. However, this target locator system is not a functioning weapon. Therefore, the operator of this system would need to carry an additional piece of equipment; i.e., a gun, for engaging the enemy. Moreover, the microprocessor unit is not modular and therefore can not be customized for the specific task of the user.
In WO 96/01404, Michel et al discloses a weapon with a sight in which a computer controls a collimated reticle to move it onto the future point of impact between a target and a projectile fired from the weapon. The reticle consists of a lines-drawing means continuously movable by means of electrical units that receive control inputs from the computer, and the computer is provided with an electrical input control program for imperceptibly moving the reticle onto the future point of impact and locking it on. Again, the computer as disclosed is neither modular nor removable; therefore, it can not be customized for the specific task of the user.
Transferable core computers are known in the art such as the computers described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,999,952 and 6,029,183. The disclosure of these two patents is hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure, for the purposes of this disclosure, and claims the term xe2x80x9ctransferable core computerxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccorexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccore computer modulexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccore modulexe2x80x9d will be used interchangeably and will be taken to mean a computer system such as is disclosed in these patents. The core unit has preferably only one uniquely configured connecting means which mates with or fits against a reciprocal connector source or activating means in an enclosure. Other than this connecting means, all of the components of the core unit are sealed and not removable from the core housing. This same connecting means provides communication or transfer of information as well as power between the enclosure and the core module. In the core unit all of the computer components stay intact unlike the prior art where for example the CPU is removed and replaced with a second CPU or other components. The security offered by the core unit is provided by uniquely structured mating connection means which connect to a mate connector in the enclosure. In the event that the core unit is lost or misplaced, it""s data cannot be used, read or printed out by others because it can only be activated by connection to an equally unique mating connector in the enclosure. There are many different unconventional connectors that can be used such as specially configured tongue and groove connectors, dove tail connectors, bar connectors, slot and projection connectors, etc. The more unique the communication or connectors, the better the security of the core unit. Obviously, any other security means may be incorporated into the system of this invention if desirable to further enhance the security of the system. Also for security reasons, the core unit is in a completely closed housing so that no computer component may be removed, copied or tampered with.
The transferable and removable standardized core computer unit includes a single housing comprising therein standard features of a self-contained general purpose computer. The enclosure unit has at least one electrical connector means for connection to a bus connection and to a source of power outside the enclosure. It will only work off the source of power provided by or through an enclosure and will not function as a stand-alone unit if directly attached to a power source. The enclosure comprises peripheral connector ports or devices to cooperate with said core computer unit when said core unit is placed therein, and the core computer unit has means to cooperate with a plurality of different enclosures when inserted into said enclosures in either an original placement or transferred from another enclosure. When more powerful computing is needed, the core computer can be upgraded be replacing the slower core computer with a faster one. Also, when additional features are desired such as voice recognition, a core with an integrated DSP may be used. The core computer unit has activation cooperation means for interaction with the desired activation means. The activation means are selected from the group consisting of audio activation means, communication activation means, pen activation means, brain activation means, eye-tracking activation means, mouse activation means, a keyboard activation means and mixtures thereof. The core unit has no removable components and will not function as a computer without said enclosure.
Also, disclosing core-like computers is Chu in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,185. In ""185, a personal computer system is taught which comprises an attached computing module (ACM) that contains the core computing power and environment for a computer user and a peripheral console (PCON) that contains the power supply and primary input and output devices for the computer system. To form an operational computer, the ACM is coupled with the PCON.
By having the weapon act as the enclosure for the transferable core computer, the soldier would be able to perform functions such as laser range finding to locate and identify targets, ammunition counting, GPS and communications to platoon leaders as well as communication among users, while carrying only a single device, namely his weapon. Other features include the ability to control when a gun can be fired, provide quicker and more efficient Friend or Foe identification, and determine whether the person firing the weapon is authorized to fire, all of which are known in the art.
There are many discussions in the prior art concerning who is authorized to fire a weapon and how to identify a friend from a foe. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,952, Mossberg et al discloses such a system where a passive identification tag is mounted to a personal adornment to be carried or worn by an individual and is preprogrammed with an authorized identification code. When the authorized tag is in proximity to the firearm, a signal is transmitted to the firearm causing an electrical activation circuit to provide power to a portable power supply to move a switch enabling use of the firearm. Other methods include U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,528 in which Teetzel discloses a voice activated locking apparatus for handguns and rifles where a verified speech pattern by a voice recognition chip unlocks a solenoid mechanism that allow the weapon to be fired. Moreover, Teetzel, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,847, discloses a lock and target authentication apparatus where a number of weapons can communicate with one another. If the weapon receives a preselectable infra red signal from another weapon, then the weapon knows that the other weapon is a xe2x80x9cfriendxe2x80x9d and not a xe2x80x9cfoe.xe2x80x9d
Ammunition counting is also known in the art. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,360, Herold et al discloses an ammunition clip or magazine for a firearm including a self-contained system for sensing the amount of ammunition contained within the magazine and visually or audibly indicating the value to the users of the firearm. Moreover, Vasquez et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,070, discloses a low ammunition warning system including a detector and a circuit for tracking depletion of ammunition contained within the weapon. Visible and tactile signals, responsive to the circuit, warn the user when a known pre-set low ammunition count has been reached.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a weapon system which is devoid of the above mentioned shortcomings.
A further object of this invention to provide a novel computerized weapon system.
Another object of this invention is to provide a novel enclosure for the transferable core computer.
Still a further object of this invention is to integrate different functions that normally would be carried by the user within a weapon.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a novel computerized weapon that gives the user the ability to exchange computer modules.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel computerized weapon that can fire projectiles without the core computer being docked in the weapon enclosure.
Another object of this invention is to provide a novel computerized weapon that can authenticate the user prior to the weapon""s activation of the computerized functions.
These and additional objects of the present invention are accomplished generally by incorporating a transferable core computer into a gun, most generally into the buttstock for conventional shoulder fired weapon, but it could be anywhere in the weapon, attached, or docked to the weapon. The core computer has a single connector that mates with a reciprocal connector within the butstock. The core computer is surrounded by shock absorbing material built into the buttstock. Power and data are supplied through a single cable which is connected to the core computer through the buttstock at one end and connected to the user at the other. The user will carry a power supply, preferably in the form of rechargeable batteries. Alternatively, the batteries will be attached or built into the gun and/or the data will be transmitted wirelessly from the core computer to the user.
In the first embodiment of the instant invention, a rifle is the enclosure for the core computer. The computer when docked in the buttstock portion of the rifle provides the user the ability to monitor additional parameters and offer additional functions not available to the user with conventional weapons, such as laser range finding, to locate and identify targets, ammunition counting, GPS and communications to platoon leaders as well as communication among users. Other features include the ability to control when a gun can be fired, provide quicker and more efficient Friend or Foe identification, determine whether the person firing the weapon is authorized to fire or not, provide mapping data, or mission-specific data, etc. Each of these additional functions can be implemented in a variety of ways, which are known in the art. For example, the ability to control when a gun can be fired can be implemented using the methods described above or may be implemented using a smart card, a pin number, or biometrics such as voice or fingerprint identification.
In the event that the core computer becomes damaged or inoperative, the user need only swap out the corrupted core for a working one to regain the additional functionality. However, the gun need not have the core module present in order for it to fire.
In another embodiment of the instant invention, information can be added to the system while en-route to a mission. In this embodiment, the core is docked into a system that is carried on an airplane, or ground transport. This system would have the most up to date information regarding mapping data, terrain, and offer the most current situational awareness of the mission. When the soldier is about to depart the plane or transport, they remove their core from the transport""s system and dock the core into their weapon.
In another embodiment of the instant invention, information can be extracted from the core computer to a central system after a completed mission. In this embodiment, the core is docked in the weapon while the soldier is engaged in a particular mission. Information is compile regarding enemy troop movements, position, size, armament, rounds fired, direction of fire, etc. and stored in the transferable core computer. When the soldier returns from the mission, the core is removed from the weapon and docked into a central computer enclosure, thereby providing current tactical information that may be useful to plan future missions.
In another embodiment of the instant invention, the transferable core computer can be swapped from the weapon enclosure to a pen tablet type enclosure, thus giving the user another interface with which to use the computer. Specifically, when the core computer is not being used for data collection in the weapon enclosure, it can be removed and docked into a pen tablet type enclosure giving the user the option of attaching different peripherals for a specific task, such as mission planning, email, games, etc.
The foregoing and additional objects and advantages of the invention together with the structure characteristics thereof, which is only briefly summarized in the foregoing passages, become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description and preferred embodiments, which follow in this specification, taken together with the illustration thereof presented in the representative accompanying drawings.


Resistor bank cooling apparatus 1 has an enclosure 2 surrounding a resistor bank 4. At least one first vane 6 directs into the enclosure 2 air flowing past an open side 12 thereof, which open side 12 is not a side facing the direction from which the air flowing past the enclosure 2 flows. The resistor bank 4 has a resistor element 22 which functions as at least one airflow directing baffle. The or each first vane 6 and the or each baffle are each disposed thereby to create an air flow through the enclosure 2 which achieves a sufficiently even cooling of the resistor bank 4. At least one second vane 60 to the side of the or each first vane 6 remote from the open side 12 captures and deflects into the enclosure 2 air which xe2x80x98bounces offxe2x80x99 the closed facing sides.

The invention relates to resistor bank cooling apparatus of the type used for cooling dynamic braking resistor systems for traction vehicles.
Electric motor driven traction vehicles, such as trains, trams etc., are known to have two braking devices; a friction braking device comprising, for example, friction blocks or pads applied to the wheels or axles under the control of compressed air or hydraulics, and a dynamic braking device comprising a resistor system which is applied as an electrical load on the traction motor, thereby retarding its rotation.
Dynamic braking resistor systems are known to comprise a number of resistor banks each having a pair of supporting members with a resistor element held therebetween. The element may be constructed from several parts which may be joined together by welding and bent into a zig-zag shape. An electrical connection is made to each end of the element and insulating spacers isolate the element from the supporting members.
During a dynamic braking cycle, the rotational energy of the traction motor is largely dissipated in the resistor system as heat. As a result, the system gets hot, typically up to around 700xc2x0 C., and each element requires cooling. Apart from the need to constrain the resistance value of the resistor element, which is temperature sensitive, traction vehicle dynamic braking systems are normally mounted under the vehicle, so cooling is required to prevent excessively raising the temperature of the space above, within the vehicle. Also, there are many other pieces of equipment mounted under the vehicle in the proximity of the resistor system which may be sensitive to heat.
Most commonly, cooling is achieved by air forced with fans past the resistor banks, through the spaces between the adjacent zig-zag legs of the elements. However, fans add additional moving parts to a vehicle which need to be incorporated along with all the other equipment mounted thereunder, where space may be at a premium, and increase the likelihood of a mechanical failure.
An alternative to forced air-cooling is natural air cooling where the resistor elements are subject to the airflows which result from the motion of the vehicle. However, when the elements are to be surrounded by an enclosure and the forward facing side of the enclosure is closed or substantially closed, achieving satisfactory natural air-cooling is not a straightforward matter. For instance, it has been found that if the elements are within an enclosure which has a closed forward facing side and an open bottom side, that is, the side facing the track, air flowing past the open side will not enter the enclosure but is drawn downwards as a result of a low pressure area that is created between the enclosure and the track. Nevertheless, adequately cooling the elements is not just a matter of getting air to enter the enclosure. It is also necessary to create an airflow through the enclosure which achieves a sufficiently even cooling of the elements.
To maximise the power dissipation capability of the resistor bank, it is desirable for the elements to operate at high temperatures. However, there are situations, for instance when resistor banks are used in traction vehicle dynamic braking systems, when the resistor banks are susceptible to the effects of inflammable litter, such as paper or dried leaves, which on contact with the elements are likely to ignite. Hence, because of the fire risk, it is desirable for the resistor elements not to operate at excessively high temperatures. Consequently, there is a trade off to be made. Optimum operating conditions are therefore selected to be a temperature slightly less than the ignition temperature of litter. This temperature must be maintained across all of the elements and hence the need for sufficiently even cooling.
Further difficulties arise if, for fear of over heating other under vehicle mounted equipment, the air carrying heat away from the elements cannot be expelled from the enclosure in line with the direction of travel of the vehicle, but has instead to be expelled to the side. It is necessary when expelling hot air to the side of a traction vehicle to guard against excessively raising the temperature of the sides of the vehicle, where there may be such temperature sensitive components as rubber door seals, and, bearing in mind that a traction vehicle is braked when pulling into a platform, to guard against scalding passengers standing on the platform.
The invention provides resistor bank cooling apparatus comprising an enclosure surrounding a resistor bank, air deflecting means for deflecting into the enclosure air flowing past an open side thereof, which open side is not a side facing the direction from which the air flowing past the enclosure flows, wherein the resistor bank has a resistor element which functions as at least one air flow directing baffle and wherein the air deflecting means and the or each baffle are each disposed thereby to create an air flow through the enclosure which achieves a sufficiently even cooling of the resistor bank.
Preferably, air is deflected by the air deflecting means thereby to draw into the enclosure further air flowing past the open side thereof. The air deflecting means may be at least partially below the open side. Further preferably, the air deflecting means comprises at least one first vane. The at least one first vane may be supported by parts, such as extension pieces to the sides of the enclosure, extending from the enclosure. At least one second vane may be supported to the side of the or each first vane remote from the open side. Such second vanes may help to deflect into the enclosure air which xe2x80x98bounces offxe2x80x99 the closed facing sides of the enclosure.
Also further preferably, the open side of the enclosure is the bottom, the direction of the air flowing past the enclosure is substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom, the or each first vane is at an angle with respect to the plane of the bottom and the or each baffle is at an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bottom. In other words, the plane of each resistor element is inclined with respect to the plane of the bottom. Such inclination may be so as to ensure that a uniform distribution of airflow is achieved across the whole of the element by virtue of the proximity of each part of the element with respect to the point at which most air is deflected into the enclosure. Thus, the elements are inclined with regard to the positioning of the first vanes. In the case of apparatus mounted under a traction vehicle, the bottom is the side facing the track upon which the vehicle runs. Each vane may be curved in cross section so as to reduce fluidic shock.
The apparatus may further comprise a shaped wall within the enclosure which directs the air which has passed the resistor bank in a direction out of the enclosure which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the air flowing past the enclosure. The direction out of the enclosure may also be substantially perpendicular to the direction of the air flowing past the resistor bank. In the case of apparatus mounted under a traction vehicle, the air may exit the enclosure to the side thereof, substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the vehicle.
The shaped wall may comprise a double skin and may serve as a radiant reflector. Apart from guiding hot air out of the enclosure and acting as a thermal barrier, the shaped wall may have a secondary role as a radiant reflector, particularly at high resistor temperatures. To maximise the rate at which radiant heat is reflected away from the resistor bank, there needs to be xe2x80x9coptical co-ordinationxe2x80x9d between the shaped wall and the point at which air exits the enclosure. In other words, the energy has to be reflected by the shaped wall to a focus such that it is directed to the point at which the air passes exits the enclosure.
The apparatus may also comprise a generally downwardly directed nozzle through which air exits the enclosure. In the case of apparatus mounted under a traction vehicle, the air may exit at a height below the level of a platform at which the vehicle may stop, and directing the air downwards reduces the risk of scalding anyone standing on the platform and overheating the side of the vehicle.
Also further preferably, the air deflecting means comprises at least two sets of at least one first vane, each for directing air flowing in either one of two opposite directions past the enclosure. In the case of apparatus mounted under a bi-directional traction vehicle, having two sets of air deflecting means facilitates bi-directional cooling.
Each set of air deflecting means may comprise three first vanes, although the number of vanes may vary according to the size and requirements of the apparatus.
The apparatus may comprise a pair of resistor banks, one to either side of a common anchor axis, and each bank in a pair may be oppositely angled.
There may be a plurality of pairs of resistor banks.